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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wound — an injury
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. chair — a leader
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. can — a tin
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mug — a face
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mug — to rob
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mug — a cup
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. chair — to sit on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com